Tár is one of the most-nominated movies at the 2023 Academy Awards and has landed on many critics' year-end lists as one of the best films of 2022. The psychological drama musical is directed by filmmaker, actor and real-life musician Todd Field and is nominated for six Academy Awards - including Best Picture, Best Director for Todd Field, and Best Original Screenplay.
One of the most acclaimed aspects of Tár is Cate Blanchett's leading performance as Lydia Tár. Blanchett is a front-runner for the Academy Award for Best Actress at the 2023 Academy Awards. Blanchett has won twice before, for Best ing Actress for The Aviator (2004), and Best Actress for Blue Jasmine (2013).
Tár was released in US theaters in October 2022, to low-box office numbers upon its initial release. However, its acclaim during awards season has prompted a wider theatrical release and it is now also available on streaming to watch at home, both for free and for purchase or rental.
Is Tàr Streaming Anywhere?
Tár is available to stream for free on Peacock . Peacock is not available directly as a Prime Video add-on, but the channel is available to Prime s that use the Amazon Fire TV for streaming.
It is also available to purchase or rent on Prime Video via buying or rental and available to stream on other major platforms with purchase options, including Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.
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What Is The Film Tàr About?
Tár centers around world-renowned classical musician Lydia Tár, a conductor who has smashed many a glass ceiling in the world of western music, as the first female conductor of several major world orchestras. Tár also holds a major teaching post at the prestigious Julliard school, but her authoritative, abrasive personality in the classroom and her personal life begins to unravel her successes and public image.
When Lydia Tár is accused of misconduct by her peers and secrets about her personal life are exposed to the public, it shakes her status in the music world. Tár's relationship with her wife and their adopted daughter becomes increasingly strained, causing the conductor to lose her main network. As she attempts to break the record for being the first conductor to complete the first live recording of Gustav Mahler's "Symphony No. 5," Lydia's legacy is put to the test.
Is The Movie Tàr Based On A Real Person?
Many moviegoers left Tàr believing that the movie was actually a biopic of a real musician, similar to fellow 2023 Best Picture nominee Elvis. This is in part due to its marketing and style. The film's official description states that the movie is "set in the international world of classical music [and] centers on Lydia Tár, widely considered one of the greatest living composer/conductors and first-ever female chief conductor of a major German orchestra."
The beginning of the film also plays into this, listing the impressive achievements of famed conductor Lydia Tár. These are presented in a rather factual manner that is rarely seen in fictional films. However, this style and marketing are intentional, and Lydia Tár is very much a fictional character. It is a narrative device used to add shade and light to the film's complex protagonist, a narrative that many biopics attempt to emulate when portraying real people.
It is likely that Tár was inspired by real-life conductors, however. There have been many major news stories in recent years about major conductors and other famous classical musicians in some of the world's most revered orchestras being accused of sexual misconduct. However, there is no direct source of inspiration for Lydia Tár.
